Well after twelve years of being on the Pill (TWELVE!), I stopped taking it two weeks ago. The reason I started taking it in the first place was for medical reasons, then it eventually became necessary for well, other reasons I did quite a bit of research for the past few months and decided that after making such an effort to rid chemicals from my diet, I didn’t want to continue putting them into my body in the form of synthetic hormones. The pilot and I aren’t planning on little Fitnessistas or pilots at this moment, but I’m in a position where if it were to happen, it would be ok. I’m not knocking the Pill in any way, because obviously it worked well for me, for many years; however, I felt like it was a good time to rid my body of all the extra chemicals and begin to understand my cycle.

Before stopping the Pill, I read a book called “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” which I couldn’t possibly recommend enough. It really is a book that every woman should read and it teaches how to understand what’s going on with your body and a totally natural form of birth control (for monogamous relationships) in which you track your cycle. It was a fascinating read and taught me WAY more than I learned in the goobery 6th grade class we all had to take So every morning I jot down my temperature right when I wake up, and keep track of other signs that indicate fertility.

So how do I feel? AMAZING. Even though I never really felt bad while I was on it, I feel like myself again. It’s like when the Wizard of Oz switches from black and white to color. Ok, not that intense, but I feel pretty dang good I’ve never really had to deal with skin issues and was horrified my face would break out or something crazy would happen, but so far so good (*knock on wood*). The only bummer things about it is that I’ve been a little extra tired lately and I just feel slightly wonky from the hormones trying to balance out again.

Comments

This pill dilemma is something I have been struggling with for a long time. My body actually had a reaction to the chemicals in my pill and I ended up with Melasma (a pigmentation issue which was caused by the chemicals in my body from the pill reacting to sunlight). It freaked me out and I went off the pill for a while and then went back on. But I’m really considering cleansing my system of it again. If my skin is reacting to the pill that should tell me something. I think it’s time to broach the subject again with my husband.

SO happy you got off the pill! The pill completely destroyed me. I was incredibly depressed and out of my mind. Once I got off I felt like myself again but it took a LONG time for my body to balance itself out… and I wasn’t taking it for 12 years like you have been…. so it might be a bumpy road, but it will be worth it just to feel “normal” again… = )

Thanks for sharing your personal experience. I too have bene on the pill for years and years and recently I started thinking of stopping… I am afarid of how my body will react. Please keep us posted if things change for you!

Lurker coming out of the dark. No one seems to have brought up the other non-hormanal barrier methods for birth control. Diaphragms and cervical caps (and if you’re in Canada, contraceptive sponges) are solid forms of birth control that don’t decrease sensation, don’t require hormones, and have a lower risk of pregnancy than FA methods. Additionally, IUDs are much safer now than they have been in the past and are not counter-indicated for women who have not been pregnant (they’re often painful to insert pre-pregnancy and there is minimal risk of scarring in the uterus, though).

It’s important to remember that every woman reacts differently to the pill. It IS unnatural to add synthetic hormones to your system, but those same hormones may raise one’s risk for breast cancer also reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. The pill can have negative side-effects, but it can also provide women control over their own bodies and reproduction when they wouldn’t otherwise. Each person needs to asses matters of BC personally and weigh the pros and cons.

I just went off the pill about two months ago as well, and as we are not quite ready to have children, it would not be the end of the world if there was an “oopsie.”
I have not noticed any difference at all since going off, except my wallet is fatter…but in all seriousness, I know it really messes with some women’s bodies. I agree with getting all the chemicals we can out!
Thanks for the info on the book as well, definitely something I need to look into.

i just wanted to say thank you for sharing your news about going off the pill. BC made me bat shite crazy hormonal. the couple times i tried it, i was all over the place. i haven’t been on it, and i don’t want to again!

I got on the pill originally because of ridiculously heavy, painful, menstruation. I’ve been on it for years! Because of concern of the synthetic hormones, I made the decision to stop the pill this year, and only lasted four months.

I went from having a cycle every 14 days pre-pill, to having normal monthly periods while on the pill, to having a normal period the first month post-pill, and then going back to having a (heavy, painful) cycle every 14 days. That means I spent half the month uncomfortable, weak, anemic, and a lot of the time, in EXTREME pain. That was fine when I was 15 and I had few responsibilities. But juggling full-time work with full-time college classes? I need to be able to FUNCTION.

Maybe when I’m in my late 20’s-early 30’s I will try to get off of the pill again, but for now I can’t handle the way my body reacts without it.

I wish there was a natural, safer, and more effective BC other then the Pill.

Getting pregnant would be the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me at this point in my life. My SO and I use every precaution. Heck I won’t eat certain foods for fear they will interact badly with my Pill (ie: grapefruit).

Looks like I’ll be on the Pill for the next 6 or so years. There ain’t no way I’m having a kid before then.

I just recently (two weeks ago) stopped using the Nuva Ring. Before that I had been on the pill for over 10 years. I can totally tell a difference. my sex drive is back and Im not irritable or moody. I love knowing that I am not pumping hormones into my body anymore. I feel great!!!

Wow – just the other day after reading your post I thought to myself – if she wasn’t drinking wine I would swear Gina was pregnant. All the napping you have been doing lately. Now we have our explaination. I hope your body adjusts easily and there are no fertility issues when you and the pilot decide it’s time.

I have just recently had this same issue. I’ve been on the pill since I was 16. Broke up with my boyfriend about a year ago and finally decided to just go off the pill. Upside: I am a competitive athlete so I know my body very well and I could actually tell when I was ovulating. Also my period was 2 days max. Downside: my face looked like hell. On the pill, my skin was perfect – off it, I looked like proactiv before commercial. So after six months off, I’m back on starting this month.

I’m so glad you posted this! I went off the pill over a year ago in an effort to get pregnant. We still have not conceived But my husband and I agreed that I will never go on the pill again. It just doesn’t make sense physically or financially. I too LOVE the book TCOYF and wish more women would check it out and really get in tune with their natural cycles.

This is such an interesting topic, because it is so personal and so different for each woman. For me, personally, I had never before been on birth control. I tried it earlier this year for one month and decieded it just wasn’t for me. Although I can confidently say that I am thankful to have the option to take a BCP.

I did read Gena’s blog and thought it was just as amazing. I even forwarded it to a friend of mine who I always talk to about the “pill” situation because I thought it was just that informative.

I did go off of the pill about August. I noticed a change almost immediately. Sex drive back up (sorry if TMI), mood swings so much better and I was the opposite of you as I had MORE energy and did not feel so lethargic. I was concerned about acne and heavier periods as the reason I got back on the pill in the first place was because they had gotten so heavy that I was low on iron despite healthier eating habits. When I got rejected to give blood for a fellow co-worker’s wife’s blood drive I was so bummed because I knew I was eating more iron rich foods than even in my life. Shortly after I went to the gyno and after many tests she put me on the pill. The past few months though I have been very aware of when my period starts, how heavy the flow is on what days to make sure I don’t need to go back to it. So far not bad. I was on the pill for about a year and a half this time and had been on it multiple times before as I have two children already. My fiance and I are getting married in March so we are definitely wanting to wait until after the wedding if we have children. I talked to my fiance about wanting to get off the pill and that would mean we’d have to go back to condoms and he told me it was totally up to me and he’d do what I want. I explained the side effects I was contributing to the pill…not to mention I had two UTIs since I started the pill. He was the one who pointed out I had never had that problem in the past 6 years we’ve known each other, until I went on the pill. I was eating and drinking (mostly water or tea) the best I ever had! So he happily obliged. I told him at least until we get married, then we can try NFP and whatever happens happens!

Congrats! I did the same thing after reading TCOYF in April. I felt exactly the same “Wizard of Oz” way What a great way of putting it!!! There were so many positive changes in my health and the negatives that I was worried about never happened… It took me about 3 cycles to fully re-balance and to feel confident in trusting FAM. I feel great now and I don’t know WHY I waited so long out of fear of things that never happened. Oh and I can’t even begin to tell you how NOT helpful my doctor has been….Lol. Anyway, have a good one!!

Yes feeling tired and wonky is normal, or at least that’s how I felt too, so no worries there chicka. I was on BC for several years and got off it slightly over 1 year ago for the exact same reason you have decided to now. I read the same book but was worried I am not organized enough to do it… perhaps I should give it a go though. Can you please update us after you’ve been following it for a while longer? Or email me personally and let me know how it’s going. I’m interested to hear from someone who’s been doing it for a while. Anyway, I wish you luck and let me add I think BC was messing with my sex drive and all the ladies I’ve talked to about this agree with me. As in I feel a lot better w/o it… perhaps that’s what you mean as well. I also have had no skin issues since being off it. Thanks for sharing!

Yes feeling tired and wonky is normal, or at least that’s how I felt too, so no worries there chicka. I was on BC for several years and got off it slightly over 1 year ago for the exact same reason you have decided to now. I read the same book but was worried I am not organized enough to do it… perhaps I should give it a go though. Can you please update us after you’ve been following it for a while longer? Or email me personally and let me know how it’s going. I’m interested to hear from someone who’s been doing it for a while. Anyway, I wish you luck and let me add I think BC was messing with my sex drive and all the ladies I’ve talked to about this agree with me. As in I feel a lot better w/o it… perhaps that’s what you mean as well. I also have had no skin issues since being off it. Thanks for sharing!

Everyone should have the right to choose their own choice for BC. However, everyone needs to remember the possibility of fetal alcohol syndrome if you’re not using protection and drinking. Also women who are on BC are much less likely to have ovarian cancer than other women. Ultimately this is the women’s choice but I am slightly biased because I am in the medical field.

Hey good call honey! I went off my pill about 18 months ago after being on it for almost 15 years on and off. I was originally on it for cycle issues and skin problems, but decided for the same reasons you have decided to go off it (ie reduction of artificial chemicals etc being put into my body) and have not looked back. Sure for the first few months off it, yes I did want to sleep all the time, and my skin played up for a bit, but now my cycle is back like clockwork and I feel amazing. Thanks for the book recommendation too. I think I might just order it.

Everyone keeps talking about getting pregnant…I think if you’re careful there’s no reason to assume that will happen. I was on the pill for exactly one year (about 8 years ago) and didn’t really care for it. Since then, I’ve been in a monogomous relationship (just married!) with the same man, and we have always used condoms. We never once (in 7 years) had an accident, and we don’t plan on having children for at least 5 more years! I love that my body and personality are all mine- free of any unnatural hormones. Great post, Gina!

My “pill story” is almost identical to yours. I started it for medical reasons, and ended up staying on it for 10 years, until it just seemed like a bad idea for myself to continue. I have been off of it for several years now. I am just now exploring the bc method you are writing about, and am very curious!

I’m so jealous that you were successful in getting off the pill. I tried about a year ago and got really sick and my face broke out terribly. I would love to go back off it at some point….but I don’t know when that will happen. Glad you are feeling great

What I don’t understand is how everyone had such a great reaction to coming off of Birth Control? When I tried to come off of it I felt like I was DYING. I had periods from hell, spotting, extreme nausea, extreme irritability, extreme cramping and pain all over.. Is that normal? This happened as soon as I was off the pill and had a “regular” period which lasted for 9 days versus the 4 it did when I was on the BC. The week before my period would occur I would get these symptoms again. And when I say extreme I mean I was bedridden. If I so much as tried to move around I wanted to vomit and cry. I’m just wondering if anyone else had a similar reaction? FYI this is coming off of Nuva Ring. I tried the pill for a while but it made me so sick at my stomach I switched to the Nuva. Never had any complications while taking the Nuva, only when trying to come off of it.

I frekin’ love nuvaring. The pill used to make me sick and nuvaring (maybe it’s the smaller amount of hormones??) has really changed my life. I do (someday) hope to get off of hormones altogether, but for now, it’s the best choice I know of.

I went to the obGYN while in Europe. They were much more hestitant about giving the pill- tests, liver functions etc. I came back home (To Texas) and it had an ob gyn visit and they just handed me pills.. No questions about my family history etc. I did lots of research and my hubby and I LOVE CONDOMS!!

No hormones.. no junk potentially messing with my heart, liver or emotions.. And it’s cheaper and easier for the lady.

I think you’ve made a wise choice.

And if ever you decide to have a little Gena you won’t have to wait months for the pill to get out of your system.

Great post! Just wanted to mention – when I went off the pill last year it took almost 6 months for me to get a period again. I was freaking out and saw my doctor several times because I thought maybe something was wrong. He said not to worry and it was completely normal. Finally my period did show up and it’s been very normal each and every month since May of this year. My skin cleared up and I don’t have the moodiness anymore once I went off! I don’t think I will ever go back on it! Good for you for making the step.

I practice the Fertility Awareness Method with my husband and we love it. I only took hormonal birth control for 7 months but it just about ruined me. I was an emotional wreck, I was miserable and so sick and tired the whole time. Once I quit it took nearly a year to feel back to normal.

I believe that hormonal birth control, while it has its place (a very small rare place), is, in most cases, REALLY bad for women, physically and emotionally. When there is a fail proof method (FAM) that is easy and beneficial for a dozen other reasons including teaching women to get to know more about their body, and doesn’t have any side effects, THAT is what women AND men should learn about from the time they are kids.

So many of my friends and family just pop pills, POWERFUL pills that alter one of the most basic cycles of their body, without giving it a second thought. Definitely not for me.

Sorry, I should at least say hey! I’m Emma. I read your blog every day. I live in Australia so usually catch it during my work day (gives me something to look forward to). I read Gena’s post on birth control too and it really struck a chord with me. I’m currently engaged in a BC patch trial. I’m sure you guys have had it for years in the US but we’re a bit behind the times here in AU! It’s interesting because before I started I was totally ready to give up on the the pill. The patch is certainly different but ultimately I still feel like I’m cheating myself in a way by pumping myself full of hormones. I too have been on the pill since I was 16 and at 25 I have no idea what how the real me reacts to menstruation. I’ve decided that after the study (they’re paying me so I figure, why not?) I’m done with artificial hormones. I want to feel me. I want to know who I am without the artificial hormones. I’m not planning on having kids right now but am in a committed relationship so am definitely going to take a look at the book you recommended. I think there just comes a point when it’s less about convenience and more about taking charge of your own body. I’m not saying BC pills are a bad idea for everyone; as you and other commenters have pointed out, we’re so lucky we have the choice, but at the same time, I feel very lucky to be able to (eventually) make be able to say, ‘no thank you’.

I know it’ll take a while for my body to even itself out again but I know it’ll be worth it. Thinking about it, I wonder if I’m being a total hypocrite saying all this but continuing with the study anyway. Something for me to think about I guess.

Anyway, just wanted to say, keep doing what you do, and thanks for all the great recipes and info you post. Your blog has changed my life more than I thought possible

hey emma,
thank you for saying hello and for reading my little blog <3
you're totally right.. it's very awesome to have a wide variety of choices, but you'll find the method that works best for you.
take care
xoxo

I have recently begun reading your blog and I really enjoy it! I was on the pill for about 4 years and have been off for about 5 years (I’m 27). Getting off was the best thing EVER for me. It’s so cool to actually learn how your body works naturally, and I feel so much better off the pill as I used to lack energy and be sick a lot. I’m also in a position that it’s OK if I get preggo, but ideally we’d like to wait a few years. We have used NFP along with condoms successfully for a while now. NFP requires a lot of effort, but my peace of mind (of no synthetic hormones) is worth it! My husband sacrifices a lot for me not being on BCP but we believe my health is what’s most important.

Wow that’s an awesome choice! I’m glad you’re able to do what’s best for you and your body. I have to admit I’m kind of jeal (not a cute feature) because I literally have to take the pill. I have polycycstic ovarian syndrome and the only way to treat it is with the pill. Otherwise I don’t get my period at all and have horrible symptoms. Um, I love how I turned this into a pity party. So cool! But seriously Gina. I’m so happy for you!

You are lucky to have had no adverse affects after going off the pill. I stopped taking it after 10 years or so, and it was bad news. I was off it for 2 months, and my skin broke out, and my cycle didn’t return, so I went back on it, and things are finally getting back to normal. Like you, I was originally on the pill for medical reasons, and it appears I still need it.

Hi Gina! This is my first comment on your blog but I’ve been a subscriber for a couple months now. Just wanted to let you know I love what you’re doing on here! And thank you so much for sharing about this topic. I’m a 24 (almost 25) year old newlywed and even though hubs and I aren’t TTC yet, I went off the pill 2 months ago because I hated putting chemicals in my body. I’m trying to make my body the best “baby making oven” possible before we TTC through a mostly vegetarian diet and exercise (I’m a sucker for shrimp…and salmon), and have begun to look into supplementation. I read this article on the dangers of supplementing with folic acid, though, and am concerned. Just some “food” for thought…I actually have a OB/GYN appt. today and am going to bring this up with my doctor. Here’s the article, in case you’re interested: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/folic_acid_dangers_and_prenatal_vitamins.aspx
Thanks again for your blog!

I am really glad you posted this. This is also a dilemma for me. I really want to stop taking the pill but when I stop taking it, my periods are so erratic and horrible. Also I immediately break out and it is just a bad experience. However I think I may try going off of the pill again because I feel like it can’t be healthy…

loved reading this! I totally agree about the chemicals! I love healthy eating and an all natural approach to life so it should not be different when coming to family planning. I think it is actually way easier (and more effective) than people think it is to naturally track your fertility! We use the Billings ovulation method which is super simple, I can practically do it in my head (though not recommended) I think it also helps our relationship to have to be extra loving towards each other and setting the mood during non-fertile times when I tend to feel less romantic, I get to see the very pure selfless love that my husband has for me

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About Me

Hi, gorgeous! I'm so glad you're here. Welcome to The Fitnessista, a lifestyle blog emphasizing quick workouts, healthy recipes and adventures as a military wife and mom. Though I am a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and weight loss specialist, the information posted here is not intended to substitute the advice of a medical professional. Please check out the About page for more info. Thank you for reading! <3

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